Sudan announces release of Meriam Ibrahim, who was on death row
After almost a million people signed a Change.org petition, raising awareness and calling for action from the Sudanese government, Meriam Ibrahim is finally to be released, a court in Khartoum has ordered.
Meriam’s ordeal began when her 2011 marriage to US citizen Daniel Wani was declared invalid, and she was subsequently given 100 lashes for adultery. At this point, the practising Christian was given 3 days to renounce her faith and declare herself a Muslim. When she refused she was convicted for apostasy and sent to death row to be hanged.
Imprisoned with her 3 year-old son, she was forced to give birth to her second child, a daughter, whilst shackled to the prison floor.
The prime minister, David Cameron, described Meriam’s treatment as ‘barbaric’ with ‘no place in today's world.’ ‘Religious freedom is an absolute, fundamental human right,’ he said. Hillary Clinton, too, described the case as 'abhorrent.' Amnesty International and Change.org campaigns successfully rallied support for Ms Ibrahim. Let's hope she can now be safely reunited with her husband and children to live in peace.
